Locomotive



A ,1 P. A. KETCHPEYL 2,051,001

LOCOMOTIVE Filed May'4, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' pmzlmam a. MZMM ATTORNEY.

Aug. 11, 1936.

P: A. KETCHPEL LOCOMOTIVE Filed May 4, 1952 2 sheets-5mg; a

IIIVYEINTOR. Pa atflffezfchpei ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 11 1936 par stares ATENT FFE 2,051,001 v LOCOMOTIVE Application May 4, 1932, Serial No. 609,088

13 Claims.

This invention relates to locomotives and has particular reference to novel means for recapturing unconsumed fuel particles and reintroducing them into the locomotive firebox.

The principal object of my invention resides in the provision of apparatus for the recovery of unconsumed fuel particles and for their reintroduction into the locomotive firebox in a manner to insure their complete combustion, thereby elimihating the recirculation of the reintroduced fuel particles and insuring a maximum amount of heat with a minimum expenditure of fuel.

To this end my invention consists in the provision, in a locomotive, of means whereby unconsumed or partially consumed fuel particles escaping from the firebox are separated from the gaseous products of combustion, and of a conveying system including a pulverizing unit whereby the separated particles are returned andv discharged into the forward end of the locomotive firebox in a comminuted state eifecting complete combustion thereof in suspension.

It further consists in the provision, inv a stoker equipped locomotive, of apparatus of the type described in which the pulverizer is mounted on the locomotive frame beneath the cab deck, the pulverizer and stoker being operated in timed relation from the same prime mover, and the comminuted fuel is discharged into the firebox through its rear wall beneath the stoker fired fuel.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel form of locomotive cylinder saddle casting having formed therein a trough arranged to form the bottom of a smokebox.

Other and further objects andadvantages' of the invention reside in the details of construction of the constituent elements and the" combination and arrangement of parts, as will become apparent from the appended description and claims and as illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of. a. locomotive with the preferred form of the invention properly applied, parts of the locomotive being broken away and parts shown in section to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2' -2 of Figure 1 with parts broken away;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rearward portion of the locomotive with parts broken away and parts shown in section, showing a modified form of the invention applied thereto; and

- Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the locomotive $6 with the modified form of the invention applied,

parts being broken away and parts being shown in section.

For purposes of best illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be described with particular reference to its application with a 5 locomotive boiler furnace. However, it will become obvious as the description proceeds that the invention may advantageously be applied to other types of boiler furnaces in which the amount of unconsumed fuel particles is sufiicient 10 to warrant the recovery thereof.

Referring now to the drawings, in particular to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the locomotive boiler to is traversed by a plurality of fire tubes or flues I l, extending from the firebox E2 to the smokebox I3. At its forward end, the smokebox I3 is closed by a forward wall l4 having a door 15 closing an opening in the forward wall l4 through which access is afforded to the interior of the smokebox It, for the insertion and removal of members contained therein.

The smokebox i3 is supported on the cylinder saddle casting H5 in the customary manner,- the cylinders l'l being preferably, though not necessarily, formed integral with-the saddle casting I6. The smokebox I3 is divided into the compartmerits l8 and I9 by a diaphragm or wall that comprises a rear imperforate portion 20, and a foraminous portion or screen 2|. The compartmerit l9 communicates directly with the fines ll and the compartment l8 communicates directly with the inside stack or petticoat pipe 22 and the smoke stack 23, through which the waste gases of combustion are discharged to the atmosphere. The waste gases of combustion carry a relatively large amount of cinders and unconsumed fuel particles which pass over the firebox arch 24, through the fines ll into the chamber I9. The foraminous wall portion or screen 2 I permits the waste gases of combustion to pass therethrough into the chamber l8 and then out the stack 23, and retains the solid particles. The separated solid: particles drop from the screen 2i onto a chute or wall 25' that extends downwardly and rearwardly from the forward wall M of the smokebox and are deposited in the lower forward pertion of the smokebox.-

Locatedlin the smokebox and below the petticoat pipe 22 is an exhaust steam pipe 26 arranged, conventionally or otherwise,- incommunication 5 with the exhaust cavities 21 in the saddle casting to of the locomotive piston cylinders H. The saddle casting lfi'isprovided with a longitudinally extending depression forming a V-shaped trough 28 whichforms a bottom for the smokebox. By

issuing from a nozzle 29 located at the forward lower end of the smokebox in the trough 28. To prevent the dissipation of the pressure fluid blast throughout the smokebox, a tubular member 30 is disposed, longitudinally in the trough 28. The tubular member 39 is provided at its opposite ends with the openings 3| and 32 through which the deposited solid particles pass into the path of the pressure fluid blast in the trough 28. To prevent the collection of fuel particles onthe tubular member 39, the trough is provided with a transversely extending ridge formed by the ppositely sloping. plate members 33 and 34, thereby making the smokebox self cleaning.

A conduit 35, communicating with the rearward end of the tubular member 30, extends rearwardly from the lower end of the smokebox. l3 beneath the boiler I ll towards the firebox l2. At its rearward end, the conduit .35 communicates with a casing or settling chamber 36,. which is mounted adjacent the .outside sheet of the front Water leg 31 of the boiler ID. The settling chamber 36 is divided into chambers38 and 39 by a screen 46. Cinders and unconsumed fuel particles discharged from the smokebox by the blast issuing from the nozzle 29 pass through the conduit 35 and into the casing or settling chamber 36. The carrier fluid passes through the screen 45 into the chamber 39 and is discharged through the pipe 4| into the smoke stack 23;

, The solid particles separated by the screen. drop through an opening 42 in the bottom of the settling chamber 36 into a pulverizing unit 43. The pulverizing unit, comprising a pulverizer 44 and a fan 45, may be of any desired form, which will effectively reduce the solid particles to the necessary fineness and produce a blast for blowing it into the firebox. The fan 45 ejects the fine material through a nipple 46 to which is attached a delivery nozzle 41 projecting into the firebox I2 through an opening 48 in the front leg 3'! of the boiler Ill. The motor for the pulverizing unit 43 is preferably a'turbine' and is conventionally shown at 49.

In operation, coal is delivered to the firebox I2 through the conventional firing opening 50 by manual firing or as illustrated, by a stoker indicated generally at The waste gases of combustion pass over the arch 214 into the flues and carry with them relatively large quantities, rang ing from about 11%to 40%, of solid materials including cinders and unconsumed fuel particles. From the flues the products of combustion of the firebox pass into the smokebox l3, where the solid particles are separted'from the waste gases of combustion by the screen 2|, the gases escaping through the stack 23 and the solid particles dropping by gravity into the trough 28 'in the path of the'blast issuing from the nozzle 29. The blast projects the solid particles through the rearwardly extendingconduit 35 into the settling chamber 36, where the carrier fluid is separated from the solid particles and suitably vented, the solid particles dropping by gravity into a pulverizer 44. The pulverized material is ejected into the firebox by the fan 45, and is commingled with sufficient air to insure its perfect combustion in the firebox while in a state of suspension. In this manner, there is efiected not only a saving in fuel consumption, but also recirculation of the cinders and unconsumed fuel particles through the fiues is eliminated, as would result if the solid particles were reintroduced into the firebox above the firebed without preliminary pulverization.

' In Figures 4 and 5 is shown a modified form of the invention. The front end arrangement, since it is similar to the arrangement of the preferred embodiment has not-been shown in these figures nor will it be necessary to again describe it. The fear or firebox arrangement provides a settling chamber 52 anda pulverizing unit 53 mounted on the locomotive frame 54 beneath the locomotive cab deck 55. the invention fuel is delivered to the firebox through the firing opening 56 by a suitable form of stoker, as shown at 51. The stoker 51 is provided with means, as distributor 58 and pressure fluid distributor head 59, for scattering fuel over Y the fire in aerial paths.

Cinders and unconsumed fuel particles are discharged from the smokebox in the manner described in'connection with the preferred embodimentbfthe invention and delivered to the settling chamber 52 through the conduit 60. The carrier fluid passes through the screen 6| and is vented'through the pipe 62, and the solid particles retained by the screen 6| drop by gravity into the pulverizer 63. The pulverized material is ejected into the firebox through the firing opening .56 beneath the distributor'plate 58 by the action of the'fan64. The conduit system for the pulverized material includes a nipple 65 formed with the fan casing, a discharge nozzle 66, which is preferably formedv as an integral part of the stoker discharge casing 61, though obviously it may constitute a separate unit, and an elbow 68 connectingthe nipple 65 withthe discharge nozzle 66; The pulverized material discharged from the nozzle 66 is burned in suspension in theflrebox directly beneath the blanket of fuel being discharged by the stoker; Not only does the proximity, in the firebox, of the burning fine fuel with the fuel discharged by the stoker cause a considerable quantity of fines delivered by the latter to be consumed be fore escaping over the. firebox arch, but also the larger lumps of fuel are preheated and moisture driven off before they reach thefirebed;

The pulverizing unit and stoker are operated from a common prime mover, as by the turbine 69, thereby'coordinating the .rate of delivery-of the pulverizing unit and the stoker, or in other words, they operate in timed relation. 'Suitable reduction gearing is provided whereby the stoker may be operated at a slower speed'than the pulverizing unit, however, their relative rates will remain constant. Thus, when. the stoker is delivering relatively large quantities of fuel to the fire, relatively greater quantities of cinders and unconsumed fuel particles are discharged into the smokebox, and since the stoker and pulverizing unit operate in timed relation, the latter will operate more rapidly to take care of the increased amount of cinders and fuel particles.

I claim: i

'1. The combination in:a locomotive,'of a firebox, asmokebox arranged to receivethe products As in the preferred form of conduit, means adjacent firebox arranged to receive said solid material of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from the gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said smokebox towards the firebox, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through said the forward end of said and separate it from the carrier fluid, means for pulverizing said separated solid material, and

means for projecting the pulverized solid mate- .rial into the firebox.

2; The combination in a locomotive, of a firebox, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conduit system for conveying said solid material extending rearwardly from said smokebox and opening into said firebox, a casing interposed in said conduit system, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material to said casing, means in said casing for separating said solid material from the carrier fluid, means for venting the carrier fluid, a pulverizer arranged to receive the solid material from said casing and means for projecting the pulverized solid material into said firebox.

3. The combination in a locomotive, of a fire box having a front water leg with an opening therethrough, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said smokebox, blast means arranged to discharge said separated material from the smokebox through said conduit, means including a casing adjacent said front water leg communicating with the discharge end of said conduit for separating the solid material from the carrier fluid, a pulverizer for reducing said separated material, a discharge conduit and a fan arranged to project said pulverized material through said opening into the firebox.

4. The combination in a locomotive, of a firebox having a backhead with a firing opening therethrough, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conduit system extending from said smokebox to the lower portion of said firing opening for returning said solid material to the firebox, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through said conduit, means interposed between the ends of said conduit system arranged to receive and separate said solid material from the carrier fluid, means for pulverizing said separated solid material and means for projecting the pulverized solid material through said firing opening.

5. The combination in a locomotive, of a firebox having a backhead with a firing opening therethrough, a cab deck extending rearwardly from said backhead, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said smokebox, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through said conduit, means rearward of said backhead and below the cab deck arranged to receive and separate said means for solid material from the carrier fluid, means for pulverizing said separated solid material, and

projecting the pulverized'solid material through said firing opening.

6. The combination in a locomotive, of a firebox having a backhead with a firing opening therethrough, a cab'deck extending rearwardly from said backhead, stoker mechanism including a riser conduit delivering solid fuel to and projecting the same into the firebox through said firing opening, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said smokebox, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through said conduit, means rearward of said backhead and below the cab deck arranged to receive the solid material from said conduit and separate the solid matemeans in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, aconveying system for said separated solid material extending rearwardly from said smokebox through said firing opening, means in said conveying system for pulverizing material and means for projecting said pulverized material forwardly in said firebox beneath the stream of stoker fired fuel.

8. The combination in a locomotive, of a firebox having a backhead with a ring opening therethrough, stoker mechanism delivering solid fuel to and projecting the same into the firebox through said firing opening, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, a conveying system for said separated solid material extending rearwardly from said smokebox and delivering into the firing opening beneath the stream of stoker fired fuel, said conveying system including means for pulverizing said separated solid material.

9. The combination in a locomotive provided with a stoker, of a firebox, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from the gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said smokebox towards the firebox, a pressure fluid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through said conduit, means adjacent the forward end of said firebox arranged to receive said solid material and separate it from the carrier fluid, means for pulverizing said separated material, means for projecting the pulverized material into the firebox and means for operating said stoker, pulverizer and material projecting means in timed relation.

10. The combination in a locomotive provided with a stoker, of a firebox, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from the gaseous products of combustion, a conduit extending rearwardly from said separated solid fiuid blast nozzle arranged to project said solid material through saidconduit, means adjacent the forward end of saidfirebox arranged to receive said solid material and separate it from the carrier fluid, means for pulverizing said separated material, means for projecting the pulverized material into the firebox and a common source of power for operating said stoker, .pulverizer and material projecting means in timed relation.

11. The combination in a locomotive, of a fire-' box having a grate and a backhead with a firing opening therethrough, stoker mechanism deliverin solid fuel to and projecting the same into the firebox through said firing opening, a smokebox arranged to receive the products of combustion from said firebox, means in said smokebox for separating solid material from gaseous products of combustion, and a conveying system for said separated solid material extending rearwardly from said smokebox and delivering through an opening in said backhead beneath the stream of stoker fired fuel and above the level of said grate.

12. The method of firing a furnace having a 2,051,001 said smokebox towards the firebox; a pressure combustion ,chamber'comprising' projecting solid fuel in aerial paths into. the combustion'chamber and burning it in a firebed supported on the'furnace grate,rseparating solid'particles from the effluent gaseous products of, combustion, re-introdueing the separated particles into the combustion chamber in aerial paths immediately beneath the aerial paths of the main supply of fuel and in the direction of projection thereof and above the firebed in the combustion chamber and buming it in suspension. a a

13. The method of firing a furnace having a combustion chamber comprising projecting solid fuel inaerial paths into the combustion chamber and burning it in a firebed supported on the furnace grate, separating solid particles from the efiluent gaseous products of combustion, pulverizing. the separated particles, re-introducing the separated pulverized particles into the combustion chamberin aerial paths immediately beneath the. aerial paths of the'main supply of fuel and in the direction of projection thereof and above the firebed in the combustion chamber and burning it in suspension.

PAUL A. KETCHPEL. 2 

